Carrying case



0C@ 24 w44- M. s. BRocKMAN 2,360,931

CARRYING CASE Filed Nov. 8,-1941 2 SIAlevetsSheet l ct. 24, 1944. M s BROCKMAN 2,360,9*3l

CARRYING CASE Filed Nov. 8, 1941 2 SheetsSheet 2 dull" I :D u 58m.

/N VEN Ton,

:Patented Oct. 24, 1944 t UNirEo STATES PATENT trice CARRYING CASE Morton S. Broekman, Cleveland, Ohio Application November s, 194'1, serial No. 418,317

1 Claim.

This invention relates to carrying cases and particularly to paper board cartons of the type suitable for containing the portable dance door described in the co-pending applicationsSerial Nos. 395,489 and 413,637, filed by me on May 14, 1941, and October 4, 1941, respectively. The carton, however, has certain advantages over prior art cartons and is, therefore, adaptable to a wide variety of other articles and uses.

The primary object of this invention is to pro- Vide an inexpensive, light weight and sturdy case for the use mentioned which may be blanked and formed out of sheets of corrugated board, and which permits shipment thereof in large quantities in a collapsed condition and which may be readily erected or opened for use as required.

Another object is to provide a device which has an integral central partition having sturdy handles and comfortable grips thereon, and which may be easily carried by either one or two persons.

A further object is to construct a device which may be assembled and erected speedily and with relatively few operations.

A further object is to construct a case of the type mentioned, the covers of which engage the handle portions and automatically become locked in the closed position.

Another important object is to provide a container in which the weight of the contents is transmitted from the carrying handle to the bottom of the container without oblique or otherwise destructive force on the cover or side walls thereof.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following description andy claim together with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by like reference characters and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carrying case made in accordance wth this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a case with portions broken away to show construction thereof;

Figure 9 is a plan view of one of the two sheets of paper board used to form the carton; and

Figure l0 is a plan view of two of the blanked sheets attached. together and assembled for shipping or storage purposes.

The carton of. this invention is made of two blanked and. scored paper board sheets 2l), each of which are identical in size and shape. Each sheet 26 has an end edge 22 and an end flap 65 disposed opposite to said end edge 22, and the two sheets are fastened together by staples 66 or other similar means so that the end flap 65 of one is attached to the end edge 22 of the other Each sheet 2U has a side wall member 2 I, a bottom member 3|, a partition member 4|, a handle member 5|, an end member 6|, an end top member'll, an end bottom member 8|, and a side top member 9|. Each of these members connects to adjoining members at scored or fold lines as clearly shown in the Figure 9. Specically, the bottom member 3| is connected to the side wall member 2| at the line 25. The end member 6| is connected to the side member 2| at the line 24. The top member 9| is connected to the side member 2| at the line 23 and the partitidn member 4| is connected to the bottom member 3| at the line 43. Similarly, the top and bottom end members '1| and 8| which are also referred to herein as tags or tuck portions are connected to the end members 6| at the scored lines 63 and 64 respectively.

The handle member 5| is integral with the partition member 4| which is slightly shorter than theside Wall member 2| so that the edges 42 and 44 thereof are spaced from the end members 6| when the carton is set up and ready for use,

When fully erected and opened, the carton has the surfaces of the two partition members 4| -contacting each other as is clearly shown in the Figure 6, The bottom members 3| connected thereto are folded horizontally and away from the partition members, and the two side wall members 2| are folded upward and parallel to the partin tion members 4 l.

When in this substantially rectangular position, the two bottom flaps 8| are folded inward and downward so that the notches or slots 83 engage thev two partition members 4l therein loose and unsupported, is made easier. The distance from the notch 83 to the score line 64 is little easier.

exactly the distance from the vertical edge 42 or 44 of the partition members 4| to the middle of end wall 6 I. This snug fit materially helps to retain the shape of the case. The side edges 82 of the members 8| are tapered slightly so that the flap 8| can be turned downward in one operation with one hand, thus permitting the operator to turn down the two bottom flaps at one time quickly and easily. When the two bottom end members 8| thus engage the partition members 4|, the corners' of the carton become right angles, and the partition members 4| are equal distance from the two side wall mem- ,..I

' portions 5| are similarly bent away from the bers 2|.

The end top members 1| are shaped similar to the end bottom members 8| and have notched portions 13 therein. After the case is filled, the two end members Il are turned inward so that the notches I3 engage the handle portions 5l of the partition members 4|, and finally, `the two side wall top members 9| and fiaps 93 thereon are folded over toward the outer side of the handle members 5|, and thus completely close` the container lasshown in the Figure 6. The handle portion 5| of the partition member 4| then extends upward and over the top members 9| and between the two flaps 93.

If it is desired, for example, for transportation when space is to be saved, the top members of the case and the handle portions may be folded as shown in the Figure 8.; In this way, thetwo handle portions 5| of the partition members 4| are folded away from each other and horizontal, and the top yof the container is ilat. The end top members 'll are folded downward over the handleportions 5|, and then the longitudinal flap 93 of the top member 9| is inserted between the two partition members 4| and is tightly held there as is shown in the Figure 8.

The handle portions of the partition members 5| are doubled and folded as vis shown in the C Figures 6 and 8. This increased thickness not only makes a stronger and more comfortable grip, but also causes the face or ornamental surface of the board to be outward at all points, and thusimproves the appearance of the linished case considerably.

Each handle portion 5| which is integral with Vthe partition members 4|. is blanked as shown in the Figure 9. Three horizontally aligned holes 54 are cut in the sheet, and the edge 53 thereof has notches 55cut therein to correcrease.

spond with the three holes 54 so that when the i handle portion 5| is folded double along the 1ine`52, the notches 55 and the holes 54 match and register to form grip openings. The two folded handle portions 5|, lmade of four thicknesses of material, makes the case more comor opening alone may be used, but if the container is to be carried by two persons, than the a two end grips alone may be used.

vThe vertical edges of the handle portion 5| are tapered somewhat, both to improve the appearance of the container and also to make the' turning downward of the end top member 1| a The Figure 9 lShows how the handle portion 5| is cut on the edges 56 and 51 respectively. l

By making the handle portions 5| of double thickness material, and by folding them outward as shown, the edge 53 of the handle portion forms aslight bead, ledge, flange or shoulder-like part at the point where it meets the flap member 93 and the top portions 9|. When the flaps 93 are inserted as shown in the Figure 6, the edge portions 53 of the handle members serve as locks at the score lines 92 to hold the top members in the closed position. To open the case, the two handle portions 5| are bent away from the top member 9| about to be opened.

Fingers are inserted in the openings 95 in the top member 9| and thus lifted upward. When opening the other side of the case, the handle top member so thatl the flap member 93 will clear the bottom edge 53 of the handle member. It will be noted that the end wall 6| of one blanked sheet is connected to the side wall 2| of the second sheet. Also, that there is no direct lift or vertical force applied. to the two end walls 5|. Therefore, when the container is lifted, the weight of the contents is equally distributed and divided without undue stress or strain among all the bottom side and partition members.

Furthermore, when it is recalled that the contents of cartons such as these may be slippery and will have a tendency to slide or shift when being carried by two persons of uneven gait, it becomes essential that the structure be such that the side walls, end walls and partitions do not get` out of line, askew or distorted. This is particularly true of separable portable dance iioor sections for which this carton is especially designed. The disclosed manner of notching the top and bottom members 1| and 8|, instead of splitting them all the way, keeps the partition portions 4| in alignment with the side walls 2| and therefore keeps the two side walls in constant planar alignment with each other. It has been found from experience, that if the partition portions l extend all the `way to the two end walls 6|, the end walls 6| soon tear away from the bottom end member 8| at the lateral edge or It is important therefore, that the end walls 5| carry as little of the weight asl possible. By spacing the partition portions il from the end Walls Gl and by partially notching the end portions 8| as aforesaid, the weight of the contents is more evenly carried and supported primarily bythe partition portions 4| and the bottom portions 3| and is secondarily retained by the side and end walls 2| and 6| respectively, with the result that, even when the container is stood on end with the relatively heavy contents therein, no damage is done to it.

It will now be clear that there is provided by this invention a carrying case which accomplishes the objects of the invention. While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form v it is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense as there are many other forms. or modifications of the invention which are also considered to be within the scope of the appended claim.

It should .also be understood that in the following claim the words integral with and connected to should be considered to be synonymous and interchangeable and each deemed to be the equivalent of lthe other as far as possible, for-.the reason that, this is necessarily a relatively large container and it may not always be possible to obtain sheet material of suicient size to form an integral case or even a substantial part thereof; or it may not always be possible` to Ause or obtain machinery having sufficientl size or capacity to blank orscore an integral unit or substantial part thereof as described and illustrated herein.

Manufacturing limitations for constructing and forming the particular elements may require that they be first Aformeel separately and subsequently made unitary and substantially integral by conventional attaching means, such as adhesives, staples or stitches, in which event, the ultimate result would be for all practical purposes, the same as if -the stated parts were made in one integral unit.

I claim:

A carton comprising a pair of interconnected identical blanks of sheet material each formed to include a bottom Wall, an end wall, an outer side Wall, an'inner partition Wall, and an open top, a handle portion connected to and forming an extension of the partition wall, an inwardly folding cover portion connected to and Iprming an extension of the outer. side Wall, means for connecting the blanks together in end for end relation With the partition walls in face engaging relation to each other, a flap carried by each of the upper and lower ends of the end wall, said flaps each having a notch to receive the adjacent facing partition walls of the blanks so as to prevent separation thereof when the blanks are folded Iinto operative position, and an outwardly and downwardly turned extension formed on the handle portions adapted to engage and retain the cover portions in their closed position.

MORTON S. BROCKMAN. 

